The Marauders and the First Year
by marywriting
Summary: The Marauders are at Hogwarts for the first time! Join our favorite 70's kids for a whirlwind of a adventure. This is as canon as it gets, guys.
1. Chapter 1: At Platform 9 34

Chapter 1: At Platform 9 ¾

AN: This story is planned to go pretty far, at least to graduation. This is my first fanfic on this website. Please review and let me know what you think! I'm going to try to make this as canon as possible, but feel free to let me know if I mess up somewhere. Ok, here we go!

Disclaimer: JK Rowling invented and owns Harry Potter and his universe. I am merely mixing up the same 26 letters that she used to create something new.

Lily Marie Evans sat in the back of her father's beat up car. She looked out the window nervously, watching the other cars on the road bypass hers. Lily's father was in the front seat, talking to the other drivers. She could tell that he was nervous about dropping Lily off at platform 9 and ¾, because he didn't entirely support her magical abilities. He would never say it though.

Lily's father wasn't the only one who was unsure of sending Lily to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Lily was thinking about Petunia, her beloved sister, and how she had sneered at her so unapprovingly when she had left their small, boxy house on the hill. She was thinking about how Petunia might feel about her when she came back home for Christmas. Lily was lost in thought and didn't notice when the car stopped at King's Cross Station. The only thing that jolted Lily Evans from her thoughts was when her father opened the car door, which she was leaning against and Lily tumbled out of the car and onto the pavement.

"Oh!" Her father exclaimed as he held out a hand to help his eleven year old daughter up off the ground. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright." Lily replied taking his hand.

She stood up, embarrassed, and brushed off her school robes, which she was already wearing. Lily's father placed her school trunk onto a trolley. He helped her push it to the wall between platforms 9 and 10. The ministry representative who had visited her house the past January had told her about this barrier which separated the muggle world from the wizarding one. Her mother, father, and sister a stood behind Lily as she walked through the barrier for the first time.

She opened her eyes on the other side, without realizing she had closed them. Lily's family appeared, as if out of thin air right behind her as Lily gazed, awestruck, at what was in front of her.

Steam billowed from the shiny, red Hogwarts Express like it was rising off of a hot tea. Lily saw hundreds of people. Parents, siblings, students, and friends all running and rushing around the platform. She walked forward slowly, taking in the experience.

Petunia grunted next to her, with her nose turned pointedly in the air and her thin, bony arms crossed over her chest.

"Some magic school, still using _our_ inventions."

I rolled my eyes, ever since I'd found out that I was a witch, Petunia had been terribly irritated about the whole thing.

"Don't you roll your eyes at me!" Tuney exclaimed, sounding offended. "You have no right to be up on your high horse. And just because you're going to magic school! Because you're a witch!" She continued putting an emphasis on 'witch' that made it sound like something you wouldn't want to be.

"I'm sorry, Tuney, I'm sorry! Listen-" She caught her sister's hand and held tight to it, even though Petunia tried to pull it away.

"Maybe once I'm there- No, listen, Tuney! Maybe once I'm there, I'll be able to go to Professor Dumbledore and persuade him to change his mind!"

"I don't- want- to- go!" said Petunia as she dragged her hand back out of her sister's grasp. "You think I want to go to some stupid castle and learn to be a- a-"

Petunia's pale eyes roved over the platform, over the cats mewling in their owners' arms, over owls fluttering and hooting to each other in their cages, over students, some already in their long black robes, loading trunks onto the scarlet steam engine or else greeting one another with glad cries after a summer apart.

"-you think I want to be a- a freak?"

Lily's eyes filled with tears as Petunia succeeded in tugging her hand away.

"I am not a freak," said Lily. "That's a horrible thing to say."

"That's where you're going," said Petunia with relish. "A special school for freaks. You and that Snape boy…"

Lily's eyes momentarily flitted to Severus'. He looked slightly hunched and was standing next to a thin sallow-faced woman who greatly resembled him. He was looking back at her and her family, where she was being berated by her sister.

"…weirdos, that's what you are. It's good you're being separated from normal people. It's for our safety."

Lily glanced at her parents, who were looking around the platform with an air of wholehearted enjoyment, drinking in the scene. Then she looked back at her sister, and her voice was low and fierce.

"You didn't think it was such a freak's school when you wrote to the headmaster and begged him to take you."

Petunia turned scarlet.

"Beg? I didn't beg!"

"I saw his reply. It was very kind."

"You shouldn't have read-" whispered Petunia "that was my private- how could you-?"

Lily gave herself away by half-glancing towards where Snape stood nearby. Petunia gasped.

"That boy found it! You and that boy have been sneaking around my room!"

"No- not sneaking-" Now Lily was being the defensive one. "Severus saw the envelope, and he couldn't believe a Muggle could have contacted Hogwarts is all! He says there must be wizards working undercover in the postal service who take care of-"

"Apparently wizards poke their noses in everywhere!" said Petunia, now as pale as she had been flushed before. "Freak!" she spat at her sister and she flounced off to where her parents stood.

Lily stood where she was for a while, watching as life happened around her. She only was pulled from her thoughts when her father put his hand on her arm and asked her if she needed help with her trunk and trolley. She declined his help and said goodbyes to her family. She would see them again that Christmas, but she felt funny, like she was leaving them behind for good.

Lily found her way into the corner of a compartment of rowdy first year boys. Her face was pressed against the cool glass of the window and she was crying.

Snape saw her out of the corner of his eye as he was running down the corridor of the Hogwarts express looking for her. He slid open the compartment door and sat across from her.

"I don't want to talk to you," Lily said in a constricted voice.

"Why not?"

"Tuney h-hates me. Because we saw that letter from Dumbledore."

"So what?"

She threw him a look of deep dislike.

"So, she's my sister!"

"She's only a-" He caught himself quickly; Lily, too busy trying to wipe her eyes without being noticed to hear him.


	2. Chapter 2: The Hogwarts Express

Chapter Two: The Hogwarts Express

Disclaimer: JK Rowling invented and owns Harry Potter and his universe. I am merely mixing up the same 26 letters that she used to create something new.

"Well," Severus Snape continued, "This is it! We're off to Hogwarts!"

Lily nodded, mopping her eyes, but in spite of herself, she half smiled.

"You'd better be in Slytherin," said Severus, encouraged when Lily had brightened a little.

"Slytherin?"

One of the two boys sharing the train compartment, who had shown no interest at all in Lily until that point, looked over at the word. The boy was slight, he had black hair like Severus, but it was untidy and looked very much like it hadn't been given a second thought that morning, or even a first thought, honestly. He was sloppy, but with the indefinable air of being well-cared-for, possibly even adored, that Severus conspicuously lacked. He had round glasses perched on his nose and an arrogant smile dancing on his face. Even as a precocious eleven year old, Lily knew this boy was trouble.

"Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave wouldn't you?" The boy with round glasses asked another one who was lounging on the seats opposite him.

He did not smile when he was addressed. He didn't look like he had smiled often, actually. His clothes were very untidy and his trainers may have been on the wrong feet, although Lily couldn't truly be sure. His hair was also black, but neat and combed across his forehead with precise care, probably by a nanny Lily suspected.

"My whole family's been in Slytherin," he said, looking down.

"Blimey," Glasses said, "and I thought you seemed all right!"

The one with neatly parted hair grinned spontaneously.

"Maybe I'll be the one to break the tradition. Where are you heading if you've got the choice?" Messy, as Lily had dubbed him according to his atrocious appearance, inquired.

Glasses lifted an invisible sword and thrust it into the air like a soldier.

"Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart! Like my dad."

Severus made a small, disparaging noise. Glasses looked over his shoulder.

"Got a problem with that, have you?"

"No." Severus said, although the sneer displayed obviously on his face said otherwise. "If you'd rather be brawny that brainy-"

"Where are you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" interceded Messy.

Glasses roared with laughter. Lily sat up straight, rather flushed and looked from Glasses to Messy in dislike.

"Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment."

"Oooo…"

Messy and Glasses imitated Lily's lofty voice as Glasses tried to trip Severus on the way out. He intelligently avoided the boy's outstretched leg.

"See ya, Snivellus!" a voice called, as the compartment door slid shut with a thud.

Lily stomped her feet loudly against the carpeted floor of the Hogwarts Express as she walked further back into the train. She knew Severus was following her, even without looking. She could hear his soft, careful steps, just after her loud angry ones. Eventually, Lily came to an empty compartment. It was towards the back of the train, but it was empty. Lily realized that she and Severus had left their suitcases in the compartment with Messy and Glasses, save for a small backpack of her lunch, some money, and a few textbooks. She was too embarrassed to go back for her belongings, so she just shut the door, after letting Severus walk in ahead of her.

"Severus, tell me some more about Hogwarts. I really can't wait to get there!"

So, Severus did. He told her about the noble house of Slytherin. He told her about the bewitched paintings that would talk to her. He painted her a picture of their friendship at Hogwarts with his words and for that Lily was grateful. It took her mind off of some of the more pressing matters, like school work and Petunia. A trolley of sweets came to the doors at about noon. Lily had never had wizards' sweets before and was very excited to try something new. She had had wizards' ice cream at Florian Fortescue's in Diagon Alley, but candy was another thing. Lily asked Severus what his favorites were. He recommended two of wizarding-kind's finest sweets, Pumpkin Pasties and Chocolate Frogs, which they purchased with the money Lily's father had exchanged in Diagon Alley the week before.

After they finished the snacks, Lily immersed herself in 'Transfiguration: A First Glimpse' and she and Severus fell into a comfortable silence. The train chugged along British country-side and past farmland and forest. Lily could have gotten her mind lost in the beautiful outside scenery if her emerald green eyes hadn't been glued so firmly to the pages of her text book.

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." A voice echoed through the train, startling Lily. She put everything back into her backpack and turned to Severus.

"We're almost there, Sev! What do you think the castle will look like?" Lily said leaning forward, her hands supporting her weight on her knees.

"Like a castle, I guess." Sev replied as he stood up to straighter his robes and looked down his long, hooked nose at her. "You think the sorting will be easy?"

"How do you expect me to know? I haven't any books about Hogwarts. All I know is what you've told me and what I've read in the books I got in Diagon Alley."

Soon, the train lurched and stopped. Lily looked up and jumped towards the window with Severus close on her heels. They pressed up against the glass and tried, despite their efforts, to get a first glimpse of Hogwarts.

Lily and Severus darted out of the compartment, leaving the sliding, glass door wide open. They ran down the hallway, maneuvering around taller, older students who were reuniting after summers apart. They were laughing as they ran towards the exit and as soon as they were out of the magnificent, red Hogwarts Express, they looked around. There wasn't a castle in sight. It was getting dark, but Lily knew they were just standing on a tiny, dark platform.

Lily shivered next to Severus, who was shivering as well. It was brisk in the night air, especially if you happened to be nervous. Then, a lantern appeared above the students huddled on the tiny platform. It wasn't only a lantern, however. It was also a giant.

The giant was calling out above the heads of Severus and Lily, "Firs' Years this way! Firs' year over here! Follow me! Any more firs' years?"

Once the first years were all standing at the knees of this tall man, he introduced himself: "Hello, firs' years! I'm th' gamekeeper here at Hogwarts, but you all can call me Hagrid. 'vry one here does. Yer all gonna be takin' the boats to the castle, so let's not dawdle!"

They were walking down a steep and narrow path towards a lake and despite the giant's warnings to: 'Watch yer step, now!' the First Years were slipping and stumbling down the slippery, shore-line rocks.

"Now," the Hagrid called over his massive shoulder, "Yeh'll get yer first sight o' Hogwarts in just a sec. 's just 'round this bend here!"

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The steep, narrow path had opened up onto the edge of an elegant black lake. The surface seemed as smooth as glass; dark, black glass that one could walk out upon it and not worry about sinking through. Lily bent down to see if the lake felt as smooth as it looked. The lake looked so glassy that Lily was almost surprised when her fingers plunged right through the surface and into the cold, dark water below it. She pulled her fingers out of the water and the movement created a ripple that upset the shiny surface for only a moment until the water settled once again.

On the other side of the lake there was a hill, tall enough to be a mountain, but the incline was so gradual that one could sit upon the hill and not have to worry about falling down it. Atop the mountain was the most spectacular sight of all, Hogwarts School of Witch-craft and Wizardry. The school looked more like a castle, in Lily's opinion. The windows glittered and sparkled with the reflection of the starry sky clearly displayed in the old glass. The innumerous towers and turrets that poked their pointed tips out of the roof each had several windows that spiraled down them.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called out over the awestruck eleven year olds.

Lily's gaze fell to where the giant's large finger was pointing. She saw a fleet of small, wooden boats. They were sitting just a little further up the shoreline and were just big enough to seat four small people, and no one else.

Lily grabbed Sev's hand and pulled him towards a near-by boat, where they sat next to each other in the front of the boat. Soon a thin boy with a pretty average appearance and later a tall, bony girl with thick, black braids joined them.

"Everyone in?" asked Hagrid, who took up an entire boat for only himself, "Right, then. FORWARD!"

The fleet of small, wooden boats immediately began forward at a steady, relaxed pace. They were moving around bends and ducking loose tree branches as Hagrid directed them. Eventually, the boats carried them smoothly through a curtain of soft ivy, and into a harbor that Lily assumed had to be somewhere beneath the castle.

There was only one way out of the small, narrow passage way. So, up the sloped, stone passage way they went. Hagrid let the way, with his bright lantern gleaming in the tunnel. The passage way led up to a patch of smooth, damp grass.

From there, all of the First Years, being led by Hagrid, travelled up a grand stone stair case and paused briefly in front of two immense, oak doors. Then the giant raised his fist and knocked three times, slowly. Lily was nervous and the suspense, not only of entering the castle, but being sorted loomed over her head.


	3. Chapter 3: Gryffindor

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Chapter 3: Gryffindor, Whatever That's Supposed to Mean.

AN: Hi! A big, big thanks to h4ppy3nd, xNotAMugglex, and 'A Fan' (Anonymous) for leaving me a review! I actually smiled when I read them. I encourage you to check out their pages and leave me a review as well ;)

Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling invented and owns Harry Potter and his universe. I am merely mixing up the same 26 letters that she used to create something new.

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The tall, wooden door swung open in an instant. A tall witch stood before the crowd of eager first years that immediately stood up straighter and quieter once they saw her. The witch was the new Deputy Headmistress, Professor McGonagall. She was fairly tall and had jet black hair that went straight down to her waist. Her expression was stern, but a small, barely recognizable gleam of mischief shown in her eyes. Lily took an immediate liking to Professor McGonagall.

"Thank you, Hagrid, for escorting the students to the castle." She said at last.

Professor McGonagall stepped aside and the door followed her, opening up to let the numerous students into the entrance hall. Lily's mouth involuntarily dropped open, the entrance hall was so massive, at least eight times their class could have fit in there comfortably. The walls were stone and illuminated with flaming torch sconces. The ceiling seemed to go up to Heaven, above, and there was a magnificent set of marble stairs that led up to more of the school.

Professor McGonagall did not waste time. She led the students across the flagged-stone floor and into a smaller chamber off of the hall. The group crowded in, standing shoulder-to-shoulder just to fit within the tiny space. Everyone peered up at Professor McGonagall anxiously.

"Hello, new students and welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you are seated in the Great Hall, you all must be sorted into your Houses. The sorting ceremony is very important because, during your time at Hogwarts, your House will be a bit like your family here at Hogwarts. You will take classes with your Housemates, sleep in your House's dormitory, eat meals at your House table, and spend your free time in your House's common room.

"There are four Houses in which you might be placed. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has a fascinating and noble history and each has produced outstanding and powerful witches and wizards. While you are here at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you House points, while any frivolous rule-breaking will result in the deduction of House points. At the end-of-term banquet, the House point will be tallied and the House with the most points will be awarded the House Cup, a great privilege. I hope that all of you are successful in whichever House becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will begin in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest that you prepare yourselves while we wait."

Lily turned nervously to Severus in an effort to convey her anxiety to him, but something unexpected occurred. Several students stumbled back into others due to the shock. Lily nearly stumbled over because a tall blond girl has knocked into her, but managed to remain upright by grabbing a hold of the first thing she could. This also happened to be known as Glasses. The same Glasses from the train that practically chased her from her compartment.

Time almost stood still as she realized just whose arm she had grasped. As soon as did, she let go and blushed crimson, darker than her hair. She turned away from him, mortified. He barely reacted to the scene, as if he didn't notice at all, because he was looking up, awestruck, at the ceiling. Lily followed his gaze towards the ceiling and what she saw made her jump about a meter of the floor. About fifteen ghosts had just entered through a wall and we chatting up above the students' heads. Opaque, pearly-pearly white, and transparent they glided through the small chamber.

"Well, hello there!" Called out one of the ghosts

"Isn't it pleasant to see such fresh faces, in their youth, of course?" Commented another.

"The newest students, I presume you'll be. Yet to be sorted, my dears?" One female ghost in long flowing robes directed her questions at the students. A response would be an overstatement to the shocked and muffled murmur that followed her question.

The silence that followed the exit of the ghosts was only interrupted by an enthusiastic voice ringing out from the doorway: "The Sorting Ceremony is about to start!"

Professor McGonagall had returned. She directed them to form a line and lead them out of the chamber, across the Entrance Hall once more, and through two magnificent doors. Lily stood behind Severus, with a short black-haired girl with a sweet face behind her. Lily was so nervous she couldn't imagine what house she might be in, though she hoped it was with Severus.

Lily looked around and saw four long tables with benches lining each side. The tables were decorated with fancy gold dishes and cutlery. Many students were already seated on these benches and were looking up at Lily and the other first years. Many were joking, laughing, or whispering behind their hands.

When Lily turned her head and looked in the other direction, another table came into view. This table was at the head of the Great Hall. The teachers were all seated there. Even the recently promoted Head Master, Albus Dumbledore, was talking energetically to another professor.

But, perhaps, what was most astonishing of all was the ceiling. It appeared that there was no ceiling at all and that the roof opened straight up to the heavens. The sky on the other side was black as the purest ink with diamond-like stars shining brightly through.

As Lily took in her marvelous surroundings, Professor McGonagall busied herself with placing a rickety stool at the front of the line of first years. On top of that stool she placed the oldest hat that Lily had ever seen. It was worn and torn, patched and stitched, resewn at the seams, and utterly falling apart in spite of it all. The pointed hat was something of a spectacle to Lily who was amused that no one had used magic to fix such a plain hat. All of a sudden the whole Hall quieted and a pause of silence overcame the crowd. Then, a rip near the brim of the hat opened wide, like a mouth, and the hat started to sing:

Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But, don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!

The students in the Great Hall exploded into applause as the hat bowed to each house table. Once the Hall quieted once more, Lily's expression softened and she let go of the tension in her shoulders. All she had to do was put on the hat. She felt that she fit well into all of the categories that the Sorting Hat had sung about; Lily just hoped she was in the same House as Severus, whatever that would be.

Professor McGonagall had cleared her throat, catching the attention of the First Years, gathered at the front of the Hall. She was standing next to the Sorting Hat's stool, holing a large scroll with thick wooden poles.

Clearly, she directed the students. "When I call your name, take a seat on the stool and place the Sorting Hat on your head. Then, wait for the Hat to announce your house and join the older students at your House table."

Professor McGonagall looked down at the list and read aloud, "Anhelarent, Persephone." Persephone skittered quickly towards the stool and sat down, placing the Sorting Hat on her head.

After a brief moment's pause, the Hat shouted, "Slytherin!" The Slytherins cheered as Persephone made her way to the table beneath the flag bearing a snake.

"Avery, Marcus."

"Slytherin!" Marcus followed Persephone and sat on the end of a bench at the Slytherin table amidst a second round of cheers.

"Backles, Jim"

"Hufflepuff!"

Cheering once again echoed through the Hall.

"Black, Sirius"

As soon as Sirius Black emerged from the crowd, Lily Evans recognized him from earlier on the train, as she had called him Messy.

"Gryffindor!"

Lily thought that maybe Gryffindor didn't appeal so much to her anymore.

Soon, Catchglove, Greta and Circuiti, Clarice were made Ravenclaws. Then, Crudelis, Rosia became a Slytherin.

"Evans, Lily."

Lily hesitated before walking forward on trembling legs and sitting down upon the rickety stool. Professor McGonagall dropped the Hat over her eyes, but before she could begin to form a thought, the Hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Lily took the hat off her head and gave it back to Professor McGonagall, with a small thank-you. She hurried towards the cheering Gyffindors, glancing back at Severus Snape with a sad sort of smile. He let out a small groan that Lily didn't hear.

When Lily arrived at Gryffindor table, Sirius Black scooted up the bench to make room for her. She sat down, but crossed her arms and turned her back to him.

As the roll continued, Alice Fortescue joined Lily with the Gryffindors, Peggy Hoghes became a Ravenclaw, Gavin Horis joined the Slytherin House, and Remus Lupin too was made a Gryffindor. Then, Mary MacDonald joined Allice and Lily at the Gryffindor table. Lily watched as Grace McNorth ran towards the Hufflepuff table and welcomed Dorcas Meadowes to sit next to her.

The Nache twins, Hera and Vera, became Slytherins and Arthur Ouesli and Lavinia Parumici joined the Hufflepuff house. The next First Year was Peter Pettigrew. His Sorting was particularly memorable as it took nearly seven minutes before the hat finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

After him, Nathaniel Perks became a Hufflepuff and high fived every other first year at the table as he found a seat. The next to be sorted was "Potter, James," but Lily had called him "Glasses." He, too, was sorted into Gryffindor and pushed his way in between Lily and Sirius, to sit by his new mate.

"Hello," he turned to her, "I'm James."

"Hi, I'm Lily."

He smiled to her and then burst into conversation with Sirius on his other side. Lily was surprised that he had not remembered her from the train.

Then, Lily heard, "Snape, Severus!" called to the sorting stool. (She had missed the quick sortings of Johnathan Princeps into Ravenclaw and Evan Rosier into Slytherin.) Lily watched Severus place the hat gently on his own head and wait for just a moment until the Hat cried out, "Slytherin!"

Severus Snape moved to the opposite side of the Hall from Lily. He sat down next to a cheering Slytherin boy with bright blonde hair and a red badge, who then thumped him on the back in congratulation.

Adrian Stebbins and Emmaline Vance concluded the ceremony by both joining Ravenclaw House. Lily was famished and eagerly ate the Welcoming Feast straight through desert, all the while enjoying getting to know her fellow Gryffindor First Years. She couldn't help but wish that Severus was with her.

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AN: Sorry this took literally months to write, but I got busy with school and such. Well, please write a review for me anyways. J


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